ABSTRACT
Northern NGO advocacy has come a long way since the early 1970s’ campaigns which Clark describes as ‘poorly financed and run by highly committed but inexperienced volunteers but [which were] highly effective at capturing the public imagination’ (in Edwards and Hulme 1992: 197-8). NGO advocacy has become more focused and more strategic and has made more effective use of the media. NGOs have learnt to gain access to and use the political processes, structures and institutions of their home countries as well as those of the multilateral agencies. This evolution of NGO advocacy has led to more effective interaction between NGOs and official agencies, to alliances between Northern and Southern NGOs as those from the South have expanded their advocacy into the international arena, and to alliances between broad-based development and relief NGOs and specialised campaigning groups and networks, including environmental organisations.
